Skate wheel having skew-mounted and self-powered illuminating devices

ABSTRACT

An in-line skate wheel having skew-mounted and self-powered illuminating devices is disclosed. The wheel includes a first and a second anchor joined together creating a chamber in the middle, a rotor held in the chamber, multiple illuminating devices inserted with a skew angle on the rotor, a stator fitted in the rotor, an axle passing through the two coupled anchors and the stator, and a protective covering placed around the rim of the two anchors. The skew-mounted illuminating devices allow the skate wheel to be fitted on in-line skates and skate boards that can only use small wheels. Further, the present design can prevent scratching of the illuminating devices against the ground that would otherwise cause abrasion on the surface of the illuminating devices and attenuate the light given out by the illuminating devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a skate wheel having skew-mounted andself-powered illuminating devices, particularly to a roller wheel forin-line skates or skate boards that are equipped with skew-mountedilluminating devices and means of generating the necessary electricityto supply the illuminating devices.

2. Description of Related Art

In-line skates and skate boards are sports items popular with teenagers,as they are suitable both for leisure activities and exercise. By usingin-line skates or skate boards to do difficult acts with advancedskills, teenagers find a sense of accomplishment and a venue forself-expression. Therefore, many skating fans like to wear sportive gearand clothing to show off their personal styles, and install light orsound producing devices on the in-line skates or skate boards. Thesein-line skates or skate boards, when in use, can produce the light orsound effects to catch the attention of spectators. The in-line skateequipped with illuminating devices is intended to amuse the crowds asthe in-line skate can produce a light trail following the movement ofthe skater.

Most illuminating devices are installed inside the roller wheels ofin-line skates or skate boards to produce the light as the wheels rotateon the axle. The illuminating device is conventionally installed on thehub and inside the wheel, perpendicular to the axis of the wheel; thatmeans the illuminating device is radially mounted on the hub extendingtowards the circumference of the wheel. However, the illuminatingdevice, when in use, can be easily scratched against the ground or byother obstacles causing abrasion on the surface of the illuminatingdevice. As a result, light emission from the illuminating device will bepartially diffracted by the uneven surface on the illuminating device,thus the light effects are attenuated.

Further, since the conventional illuminating devices are protruded fromthe hub, these illuminating devices cannot fit in wheels withparticularly small diameters. Therefore, the conventional design of theilluminating devices is hampering efforts to create wider applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a modified skatewheel that is capable of incorporating a skew-mounted illuminatingdevice. The design of the illuminating device for installation with askew angle (1) is able to reduce the diameter requirement for the wheel,(2) allows the light produced by the illuminating device to irradiatefrom the lateral side of the wheel, and (3) reduces the chance ofscratching on the surface of the illuminating device, thus preventingthe diffraction of light that will attenuate the light effects. Thesecond object of the present invention is to provide an illuminatingdevice that is embedded with means of generating the necessaryelectricity to supply the illuminating device. Therefore, theilluminating device does not need any external power source. To thisend, the skate wheel incorporating skew-mounted and self-poweredilluminating devices comprises:

-   -   two opposing and mutually coupling anchors having a recessed        portion on the side opposing each other, together creating a        chamber between the two anchors;    -   a ring-shaped rotor being placed in the chamber between the two        anchors, wherein the rotor is able to rotate synchronously with        the motion of the coupled anchors;    -   multiple illuminating devices installable with a skew angle on        the rotor, wherein each illuminating device has two terminals,        one terminal being connected to one of the two metal plates over        the rotor, another terminal being connected to the junction        linking with the induction coil of the rotor;    -   a stator being fitted in the rotor, but not in physical contact        with the rotor;    -   an axle extending through the two anchors and the stator; and    -   a protective covering, made of translucent materials, being        placed around the circumference and the lateral sides of the two        anchors.

According to the present invention, there are multiple pairs ofprojected portions and sunken portions formed on the rim of the coupledanchors. The projected portions appear on the first anchor, and thesunken portions on the second anchor, wherein each pair of projectedportion and sunken portion has a skewness that corresponds with the skewangle of the illuminating device to be installed on the anchor. Theprojected portions and sunken portions on the rim of the anchors areused for interlocking the two anchors and holding the illuminatingdevices.

According to the present invention, the rotor is formed by a ring-shapedinduction coil and two metal plates, wherein the induction coil isformed by a wire wound around a circular core, and the two metal platesare joined together holding the induction coil in the middle, with oneend of the coil being connected to the mutually coupled metal plates.

Since the illuminating device is installed with a skew angle on the rimof the coupled anchors, the installed illuminating device appears with alow profile. Therefore, the diameter of the wheel required to cover thehub can be reduced in size as compared with conventional design of theilluminating devices, and the chance of scratching the surface of theilluminating device can be minimized.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded diagram of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 presents an in-line skate wheel (10) having skew-mounted andself-powered illuminating devices in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIGS. 2, 3 illustrate the structure of the present invention, includinga first and a second anchor (11) (12), a rotor (13) and a stator (14)held between the two coupled anchors (11) (12), multiple illuminatingdevices (15) installed on the rotor (13) with a skew angle, an axle (17)extending through the two coupled anchors (11) (12) and the stator (14),and a protective covering (18) formed around the circumference of thetwo coupled anchors (11) (12).

The wheel (10) is mounted on the axle (17) of the in-line skate or skateboard, which is formed by mutually coupling the first and second anchors(11) (12), each having a recessed portion (112) (122) on the side of oneanchor opposing each other, such that when the two coupled anchors (11)(12) are joined together, the two recessed portions (112) (122) arecombined to produce a chamber for accommodating the rotor (13) and thestator (14) between the two coupled anchors (11) (12).

The ring-shaped rotor (13) is formed by a ring-shaped induction coil andtwo metal plates, wherein the induction coil is formed by a wire woundaround a circular core, and then the two metal plates are joinedtogether holding the induction coil in the middle. The two metal platesare joined by welding, wherein a first end of the induction coil isdirectly and electrically connected to the mutually coupled metal platesfor boosting the efficiency of power generation. The rotor (13) rotatessynchronously with the motion of the anchors (11) (12), as opposed tothe stator (14).

The multiple illuminating devices (15) are installed on the rotor (13)with a skew angle, wherein each illuminating device (15) is inserted ata 45 degrees skew angle in relation to the rotor (13) positioned in anupright direction. The illuminating device (15) may be a light emittingdiode (LED). Each illuminating device (15) has two terminals, oneterminal being electrically connected to the metal plates of the rotor(13), and another terminal being connected to a second end of theinduction coil.

The stator (14) is fitted in the rotor, but not in physical contact withthe rotor (13), wherein the stator (14) may be a ring-shaped permanentmagnet.

Multiple pairs of projected portion (114) and sunken portion (124) areformed on the rim of the two coupled anchors (11) (12). The projectedportions (114) are located on the first anchor (11), and the sunkenportions (124) are located on the second anchor (12). When the twoanchors (11) (12) are mutually coupled, a volume is created by each pairof combined projected portion (114) and sunken portion (124), whereinthe volume created by the projected portion (114) and sunken portion(124) has a skewness that corresponds with the skew angle of thecorresponding illuminating device (15), such that the illuminatingdevice (15) can be inserted into the volume space created by thecorresponding projected portion (114) and sunken portion (124) with apredetermined angle, located on the rim of the coupled anchors (11)(12).

The axle (17) is installed through the two coupled anchors (11) (12) andthe stator (14), having the stator (14) fixed on the axle (17), suchthat the rotor (13) revolves around the axle (17) in step with themotion of the wheel (10), whereas the stator (14) is stationary.

Two bearing sleeves (16)(162) are fitted in respective notches formedonto the outer side of the two coupled anchors (11) (12) as opposed tothe side facing each other to receive the axle (17) that extends throughthe space in the center of the anchors (11) (12).

The protective covering (18) is formed on the circumference of the twocoupled anchors (11) (12), wherein the protective covering (18) is madeof polyurethane (PU) materials by injection molding and covers thecircumference and the lateral sides of the two anchors (11) (12) andbinds the two anchors (11) (12).

When the in-line skate or skate board equipped with the present skatewheels is put to use, the protective covering (18) and the two coupledanchors (11) (12) rotate synchronously with the motion of the wheel,causing the rotor (13) to revolve synchronously against the stator (14).The rotation of the rotor (13) will cause the embedded induction coil tocut across the magnetic flux of the stator (14), thus producing electriccurrent that can light up the illuminating device (15). The light givenout by the illuminating device (15) of the in-line skate or skate boardcan help boost the animation effects during skating.

With the illuminating device (15) positioned with a skew angle on thetwo coupled anchors (11) (12), the light emitted by the illuminatingdevice (15) is able to irradiate from the translucent protectivecovering (18) with an angle, and the embedded illuminating device (15)can be protected by the protective covering (18) and the anchors (11)(12). Therefore, the present design of the skate wheel can preventscratching of the illuminating device (15) against the ground or byother obstacles that would otherwise cause abrasion on the surface ofthe illuminating device (15).

Further, with the illuminating device (15) installed with a skew angleor embedded in the rotor (13), the illuminating device (15) does nottake up any extra space on the circumference of the coupled anchors (11)(12). Therefore, the diameter requirement for the wheel (10) can bereduced in size to allow the skate wheel to be fitted on in-line skatesor skate boards that can only accommodate small diameter wheels.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention is intended to be illustrative only and, under nocircumstances, should the scope of the present invention be sorestricted, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters ofshape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of theinvention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning ofthe terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A skate wheel having skew-mounted and self-powered illuminatingdevices, comprising: two mutually coupled anchors, each having arecessed portion on one side facing each other, such that when the twoanchors are joined together the two recessed portions are combined toproduce a chamber in between the two anchors; a ring-shaped rotor beingplaced in the above chamber defined by the two coupled anchors, whereinthe rotor is formed by a ring-shaped induction coil and two metalplates, wherein the induction coil is formed by a wire wound around acircular core, and the two metal plates are joined together holding theinduction coil in between, where a first end of the induction coilconnected to the coupled metal plates; whereby the rotor is able torevolve synchronously with revolution of the coupled anchors; multipleilluminating devices being installed with a skew angle on the rotor,wherein each illuminating device has a first terminal and a secondterminal, the first terminal is connected to the two metal plates, andthe second terminal is connected to a second end of the induction coil;a stator being fitted in the rotor, but not in physical contact with therotor; an axle extending through the two coupled anchors and securedwith the stator; a protective covering formed around the circumferenceof the two anchors; wherein multiple pairs of one of the projectedportions and one of the sunken portions are formed on the rim of the twoanchors, where each pair of the projected portion and the sunkenportion, when the two anchors are mutually coupled, creates a volume onthe rim of the rotor that is inclined at an angle that corresponds withthe skew angle of each corresponding illuminating device.
 2. The skatewheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each illuminating device isinserted into the volume with a skew angle of 45 degrees in relation tothe rotor positioned in an upright direction.
 3. The skate wheel asclaimed in claim 2, wherein each illuminating device is a light emittingdiode (LED) having two terminals respectively connected to the two metalplates of the rotor.
 4. The skate wheel as claimed in claim 1, whereintwo bearing sleeves are fitted into respective notches on the outer wallof the two anchors to receive the axle.
 5. The skate wheel as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the two metal plates are joined together by welding. 6.The skate wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two metal plates arejoined together by welding.
 7. The skate wheel as claimed in claim 3,wherein the two metal plates are joined together by welding.
 8. Theskate wheel as claimed in claim 4, wherein the two metal plates arejoined together by welding.